Yesterday, 05:31 AM
(This post was last modified: Yesterday, 05:39 AM by adams_masala. Edited 1 time in total. Edited 1 time in total.)
Chapter 49: Invitation to visit California
Scene 1
The doorbell rang sharp and early, just after eight, when Selvam was still in his old lungi and the first decoction of filter coffee had barely finished dripping. He left the kitchen in a hurry, nearly colliding with Ashok at the hallway corner. The younger man grinned, still in his running shorts, and said, “That’s got to be for Yazhini, right? I’ll get it, Appa.”
Selvam followed, wiping his hands on a towel. The front door opened with a creak, and there stood Mr. Krishnamoorthy, looking more rumpled than usual in his shiny brown safari suit. His hair was still damp from his morning bath, and his shoes squeaked on the doormat. Next to him, Mrs. Ranganayaki wore a bright orange silk saree, a thick gold chain at her neck and the fresh jasmine in her bun already wilting a little in the morning heat.
“Ah! So early, Uncle!” Ashok called, sweeping the old man into a quick side-hug.
Behind them, Yazhini stood quietly, her overnight bag slung over one shoulder, her white t-shirt and pale blue skirt almost childish against her mother’s glare of color. She smiled shyly when she saw Selvam, then looked away.
“Sorry for the early intrusion, thambi,” Mr. Krishnamoorthy said, shuffling into the foyer. “The train back from Kanchipuram came on time for once! The baby is good, girl child, strong lungs... nobody slept a wink.” He cackled, clapping Ashok on the back, then blinked as he spotted Selvam.
“Good morning, Mama!” he called, as if the two of them hadn’t seen each other in decades. “You have been feeding our daughter very well, I can see.” He motioned toward Yazhini, whose arms were loaded with a large insulated flask and a plastic box of sweets.
Selvam laughed. “She helped in the kitchen herself, da. More coffee?”
“Always,” said Mr. Krishnamoorthy, dropping onto the living room sofa as if it were his own.
Mrs. Ranganayaki let herself in and immediately began inspecting the room, her eyes darting over every surface. Vanitha came down the stairs just then, her saree crisp and her hair set in a loose braid, still pinning on her mangalsutra. She moved with purpose, but her smile was warm. “Welcome, Aunty! Let me get you some water.” She swept into the kitchen, pausing only to give Selvam a meaningful glance.
Yazhini hovered in the hallway. She kept her eyes low, but every now and then she would peek up at Selvam, then quickly away, her lips pressed together in a secret smile. Each time Selvam caught her gaze, he felt something tighten inside his chest, a little electric jolt that made his hands unsteady.
“Sit, kanna,” Mrs. Ranganayaki said, patting the sofa beside her. Yazhini obeyed, setting down the box and her bag. Her knees touched, her hands folding neatly in her lap, but she stole another quick look at Selvam, this time holding his gaze for a full second. He looked away first.
“So, how was the sleepover?” Mr. Krishnamoorthy demanded, turning to Ashok. “You didn’t keep her up with all your American stories, I hope.”
Ashok laughed. “She slept early. Was the perfect guest, Uncle. Even helped Vanitha with Instagram... showed her how to block the creepy followers.”
“Too many creeps on the internet,” Mrs. Ranganayaki sniffed. “Girls nowadays can’t trust anyone.” She reached for Yazhini’s hand and squeezed it. “You’re not tired, ah? You look pale.”
Yazhini shrugged. “I slept fine, Amma. Uncle gave me the nice bed.”
Mr. Krishnamoorthy gave a knowing wink. “Selvam Mama is a gentleman, always has been. Vanitha too. You are lucky, kanna, to have them so close.”
Yazhini nodded, her cheeks going faintly pink.
Yazhini kept glancing at Selvam. She’d tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, or let her foot swing, or copy the way he folded his hands. Once, she caught him watching her and let her lips part in a quick, teasing smile, as if daring him to say something.
Ashok was oblivious. “So, Yazhini, did you learn any new fitness tricks from Vanitha?” he asked, pouring himself a second glass of water.
She grinned. “I can do three push-ups now. Vanitha Akka showed me.”
“Only three?” Ashok teased, and she made a face at him.
Selvam tried not to stare, but he couldn’t help it. He saw every motion, every flash of her teeth, the way she leaned in when she listened. He remembered the heat of her body pressed against his, the sound she made when she came, the damp tangle of her hair.
He looked away, focusing on his coffee, but Vanitha’s voice cut through his thoughts. “Yazhini, you’re wearing such a nice skirt today. Is it new?”
Yazhini blinked, surprised. “No, Akka. I had it from last year.”
“It looks very grown up,” Vanitha said, her tone bright but eyes sharp. “You’ve changed a lot since you started college, no? Even your walk is different.”
Yazhini laughed, but her cheeks burned again. “Maybe. I watch how you walk in your reels and try to copy. I’m not as good as you, though.”
Selvam saw Vanitha’s lips twitch, the shadow of a private joke.
After coffee, Mrs. Ranganayaki began to fuss, gathering the bag and the sweets. “We should not overstay, there is still pooja at home. Yazhini, thank everyone.”
Yazhini stood, straightening her skirt, and thanked them all in turn. She hugged Vanitha first, and Ashok, then finally turned to Selvam.
He reached for her hand, intending just a simple shake, but she took his palm in both of hers, squeezing with a softness that lingered. She looked up at him, her eyes wide, and for a second the whole room fell away.
She said, “Thank you, Uncle. For everything.” Her voice was steady, but her hands trembled just a little, as if daring him to squeeze back.
He did, but only for a moment. He forced himself to let go.
Just then, Mrs. Ranganayaki called out, “Vanitha, come here. I must ask about this saree. What is the border work? So lovely.”
Vanitha flashed a quick, grateful look at Selvam, then hurried over. “It’s from a small boutique in T Nagar, Aunty. I’ll send you the details.” She launched into a technical explanation, drawing all the women into a knot near the door.
Ashok was left with the men. He clapped Selvam on the shoulder. “See? We survived a house full of women. We deserve a treat. Shall we finish the Mysore Pak before they get back?”
Selvam managed a laugh, but it sounded strained.
As the family left, Yazhini turned for one last look. Her eyes found Selvam’s, and she winked, a tiny flicker of the eyelid that only he could see.
He looked down at the floor, his heart thudding.
Ashok closed the door, then turned to Selvam. “She’s going to break hearts, that one. I don’t know how Krishnamoorthy Uncle will handle it when she gets married off.”
Selvam said nothing. He walked straight to the kitchen, hands shaking. He didn’t look back at Vanitha, who was still standing in the living room, watching him.
He couldn’t meet her eyes, not yet.
Scene 2
Ashok set up the laptop in the center of the living room, dragging the coffee table into the best patch of afternoon light. He placed three glasses of water at even intervals, then called out, “Vanitha! Mama! Come on, it’s almost time.”
Vanitha came down first, adjusting the end of her maroon silk saree. She had picked the most conservative blouse, high-necked and long-sleeved, her hair in a neat bun. She looked perfect and a little severe, which was exactly the effect she wanted.
Selvam appeared a moment later, wiping his hands on a towel and glancing at the laptop as if it might bite him. He sat in the armchair by the window, not too close but not out of sight either.
Ashok tested the video, then plopped down on the sofa, bouncing his knees. “It’s the middle of the night for her, but she always says she sleeps better if she sees us first.”
Vanitha smoothed the pleats of her saree and sat next to him. She kept her hands folded in her lap, her back perfectly straight. Selvam poured himself a glass of water and sipped it in slow, measured gulps.
The FaceTime tone chirped. Ashok’s face lit up. He accepted the call, and Latha’s face filled the screen. Her hair was loose and frizzy, her t-shirt rumpled. The walls behind her were bare except for a lone calendar and a single Ganesh photo taped above the light switch. Her eyes looked tired and she blinked at the brightness of the screen.
“Hello, Anna!” she called, her voice small but eager.
Ashok grinned wide, his teeth flashing. “Hey, Latha! Sorry for the odd hour. Did we wake you?”
Latha shook her head, then caught sight of Vanitha. “Akka! That saree looks so nice on you. Like you’re going for a wedding.”
Vanitha smiled, polite and reserved. “Thank you, ma. It’s nothing special, just an old one.” She nodded to the camera, “You’re looking well.”
Latha laughed softly. “Don’t lie, Akka. I look like I just woke up from a coma.” She leaned closer, squinting. “Mama, you’re hiding in the back! Show your face!”
Selvam sat up a bit, lifting his glass in salute. “Good morning, Latha,” he said, voice gentle.
The conversation drifted to safe topics, the weather in California, the new neighbors, a stray cat that kept yowling outside her window. Latha spoke with animation, but every few minutes her voice dipped, her eyes flicking away from the camera.
Finally, Ashok leaned forward, all business. “How are you feeling? Any symptoms, or…?”
Latha looked down at her hands, picking at a cuticle. “The doctor said I should rest more. I’m following everything, Anna. But it’s just so… big, this house. I feel like I’m the only person on earth.”
Vanitha said, “Did you talk to your Amma? She worries if you don’t call daily.”
Latha’s lips twisted in a small smile. “Amma asks too many questions, Akka. It’s easier with you all. You just listen.” She laughed, but her voice shook a little.
Ashok’s face turned serious. “The next IVF appointment is this week, right?”
Latha nodded. “Friday. They’ll do all the tests. Doctor thinks it will work, but… I’m scared. Last time… I thought I was ready, but after…” She swallowed, blinking hard. “I don’t want to get my hopes up. I’m just doing what I’m told.”
Vanitha’s hands clenched together on her lap. “You’re not alone, ma. We’re all here for you.”
Latha looked up at the camera. “I know, Akka. I just… I wish you were all here, in this house. Or that I could come back. Sometimes I don’t sleep at all, just walk from room to room.” She blinked again, and this time her eyes filled with tears. “The silence is the worst part. I keep waiting for Anna to yell at me to make coffee, or for uncle to call from the car for groceries. Or for you to ask me to help with a reel, Akka. It’s silly.”
Ashok touched the screen with his finger, like he could reach through and comfort her. “Hey. None of that. I’ll be back in a week. Once you get pregnant, appa and vaintha will also come to visit, right?”
Latha smiled, wiping her eyes with the edge of her t-shirt. “Right. I’ll make sure there’s fresh coffee. Even if it’s just hot water.”
They talked a little longer, but the call was winding down. Latha grew quieter, answering with single words, then signing off with a soft “Bye, Anna. Bye, Akka. Bye, Mama.”
Ashok waved. Vanitha lifted her hand in a tiny wave. Selvam just nodded, his mouth set in a thin line.
The call ended. The room felt much bigger than before.
Vanitha stood first. She smoothed her saree, then walked upstairs without a word.
Selvam stayed where he was, staring at the empty space where Latha’s face had been.
Ashok exhaled, rubbing his eyes. “She’s tougher than she looks, but I wish we could do more for her.”
Selvam didn’t answer.
They sat in silence for a while, the sound of nothing filling the room.
Scene 3
Ashok’s first words after the call ended were, “It’s time we went back.”
He didn’t raise his voice, but the sentence landed like a brick in the center of the room. Vanitha, still standing by the stairs, kept her face blank and her posture straight. Selvam turned in the armchair, jaw working, but said nothing.
Ashok gestured at the silent laptop. “You saw her, ma. She’s struggling. The doctors said this round of IVF is critical—if it fails, we don’t get another shot. Latha needs you, and she needs a family around her. We can’t just leave her alone in that big house.”
Vanitha lifted her chin. “I never said I wouldn’t go back, Ashok. But you told me yourself... the plan was that I’d work on the boutique and grow my followers here. It’s not just for fun, da. This is my dream career. I have real clients.”
Ashok moved around the room, running his hands through his hair. “Career come and go. Family doesn’t. I already booked a ticket for myself. But you....” He stopped, struggling to find the right words. “You belong with me in California. At least until Latha’s procedure is done. You said you’d support her. Now’s the time, ma.”
Vanitha pressed her hands together, the gold rings on her fingers clinking. “It’s a few week, Ashok. Once you go back, she will be fine. But I won’t be able to keep up with the content or the launches, everything stops if I leave and go to the US.”
Ashok let out a short, bitter laugh. “This is our family. You can’t put a filter on real life. And honestly...” he paused, glancing at Selvam, then back at her. “If you hadn’t been so set on keeping your figure for these videos, we could have had our own baby by now. You know that, right?”
The silence after that was thick. Selvam’s face tensed, but he still said nothing.
Vanitha’s tone stayed even. “You agreed. I never forced you into surrogacy. And it’s not about ‘keeping my figure.’ I just....” She cut herself off, breathed in, then spoke with a clear, slow voice. “I want both. I want to build my business. I want us to have a family. That’s why we chose this path, Ashok. Please don’t act like it’s just vanity. It’s my life, too.”
Ashok looked tired all of a sudden. He sank into the sofa, his head in his hands. “I know, I know. I just… I’m scared for her. She looks like a ghost, Vanitha. Last time, she called me in the middle of the night, said she was bleeding and didn’t know what to do. I don’t ever want to get a call like that again.”
Vanitha walked to the table and sat down, folding her arms. “I’ll go. But I’m coming back after the procedure. I have too much riding on this.”
Ashok looked up. “Fine. But Mama comes too.”
That surprised them both. Selvam sat up straight, his hands clutching the armrests. “Ashok, I don’t think....”
But Ashok cut him off. “No, Appa. She needs all of us. Latha loves you, and she’ll do better if you’re there.”
Vanitha nodded once, businesslike. “Okay. We’ll all go together. Two weeks, maybe three. Then I fly back alone if I have to.”
Ashok relaxed, just a bit. “Agreed. I’ll book the flights.”
He grabbed his laptop and started typing, jaw set. He muttered under his breath about loyalty programs and how Emirates always overcharged for business class.
Selvam stayed quiet, but his eyes flicked to Vanitha, then away, then back. The old, unfinished conversations between them hung in the air.
After a moment, Ashok announced, “Three seats on the same flight, next Sunday. I’ll book a car for the airport. Appa, you’re fine to travel?”
Selvam cleared his throat. “Of course.”
Ashok grinned, the tension dissolving. “That’s the spirit, Appa. One big happy family, yeah?”
Vanitha smiled back, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
Ashok headed to the kitchen, humming, his mind already on the next checklist.
Left alone, Vanitha turned to Selvam. They looked at each other a long time, neither one speaking.
She was the first to look away.
Upstairs, the guest room was empty, the bed made, nothing to show Yazhini had ever been there.
The world outside kept moving, but inside, the house felt suspended.... held together by what they were willing to risk, and what they weren’t ready to say out loud.
Scene 1
The doorbell rang sharp and early, just after eight, when Selvam was still in his old lungi and the first decoction of filter coffee had barely finished dripping. He left the kitchen in a hurry, nearly colliding with Ashok at the hallway corner. The younger man grinned, still in his running shorts, and said, “That’s got to be for Yazhini, right? I’ll get it, Appa.”
Selvam followed, wiping his hands on a towel. The front door opened with a creak, and there stood Mr. Krishnamoorthy, looking more rumpled than usual in his shiny brown safari suit. His hair was still damp from his morning bath, and his shoes squeaked on the doormat. Next to him, Mrs. Ranganayaki wore a bright orange silk saree, a thick gold chain at her neck and the fresh jasmine in her bun already wilting a little in the morning heat.
“Ah! So early, Uncle!” Ashok called, sweeping the old man into a quick side-hug.
Behind them, Yazhini stood quietly, her overnight bag slung over one shoulder, her white t-shirt and pale blue skirt almost childish against her mother’s glare of color. She smiled shyly when she saw Selvam, then looked away.
“Sorry for the early intrusion, thambi,” Mr. Krishnamoorthy said, shuffling into the foyer. “The train back from Kanchipuram came on time for once! The baby is good, girl child, strong lungs... nobody slept a wink.” He cackled, clapping Ashok on the back, then blinked as he spotted Selvam.
“Good morning, Mama!” he called, as if the two of them hadn’t seen each other in decades. “You have been feeding our daughter very well, I can see.” He motioned toward Yazhini, whose arms were loaded with a large insulated flask and a plastic box of sweets.
Selvam laughed. “She helped in the kitchen herself, da. More coffee?”
“Always,” said Mr. Krishnamoorthy, dropping onto the living room sofa as if it were his own.
Mrs. Ranganayaki let herself in and immediately began inspecting the room, her eyes darting over every surface. Vanitha came down the stairs just then, her saree crisp and her hair set in a loose braid, still pinning on her mangalsutra. She moved with purpose, but her smile was warm. “Welcome, Aunty! Let me get you some water.” She swept into the kitchen, pausing only to give Selvam a meaningful glance.
Yazhini hovered in the hallway. She kept her eyes low, but every now and then she would peek up at Selvam, then quickly away, her lips pressed together in a secret smile. Each time Selvam caught her gaze, he felt something tighten inside his chest, a little electric jolt that made his hands unsteady.
“Sit, kanna,” Mrs. Ranganayaki said, patting the sofa beside her. Yazhini obeyed, setting down the box and her bag. Her knees touched, her hands folding neatly in her lap, but she stole another quick look at Selvam, this time holding his gaze for a full second. He looked away first.
“So, how was the sleepover?” Mr. Krishnamoorthy demanded, turning to Ashok. “You didn’t keep her up with all your American stories, I hope.”
Ashok laughed. “She slept early. Was the perfect guest, Uncle. Even helped Vanitha with Instagram... showed her how to block the creepy followers.”
“Too many creeps on the internet,” Mrs. Ranganayaki sniffed. “Girls nowadays can’t trust anyone.” She reached for Yazhini’s hand and squeezed it. “You’re not tired, ah? You look pale.”
Yazhini shrugged. “I slept fine, Amma. Uncle gave me the nice bed.”
Mr. Krishnamoorthy gave a knowing wink. “Selvam Mama is a gentleman, always has been. Vanitha too. You are lucky, kanna, to have them so close.”
Yazhini nodded, her cheeks going faintly pink.
Yazhini kept glancing at Selvam. She’d tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, or let her foot swing, or copy the way he folded his hands. Once, she caught him watching her and let her lips part in a quick, teasing smile, as if daring him to say something.
Ashok was oblivious. “So, Yazhini, did you learn any new fitness tricks from Vanitha?” he asked, pouring himself a second glass of water.
She grinned. “I can do three push-ups now. Vanitha Akka showed me.”
“Only three?” Ashok teased, and she made a face at him.
Selvam tried not to stare, but he couldn’t help it. He saw every motion, every flash of her teeth, the way she leaned in when she listened. He remembered the heat of her body pressed against his, the sound she made when she came, the damp tangle of her hair.
He looked away, focusing on his coffee, but Vanitha’s voice cut through his thoughts. “Yazhini, you’re wearing such a nice skirt today. Is it new?”
Yazhini blinked, surprised. “No, Akka. I had it from last year.”
“It looks very grown up,” Vanitha said, her tone bright but eyes sharp. “You’ve changed a lot since you started college, no? Even your walk is different.”
Yazhini laughed, but her cheeks burned again. “Maybe. I watch how you walk in your reels and try to copy. I’m not as good as you, though.”
Selvam saw Vanitha’s lips twitch, the shadow of a private joke.
After coffee, Mrs. Ranganayaki began to fuss, gathering the bag and the sweets. “We should not overstay, there is still pooja at home. Yazhini, thank everyone.”
Yazhini stood, straightening her skirt, and thanked them all in turn. She hugged Vanitha first, and Ashok, then finally turned to Selvam.
He reached for her hand, intending just a simple shake, but she took his palm in both of hers, squeezing with a softness that lingered. She looked up at him, her eyes wide, and for a second the whole room fell away.
She said, “Thank you, Uncle. For everything.” Her voice was steady, but her hands trembled just a little, as if daring him to squeeze back.
He did, but only for a moment. He forced himself to let go.
Just then, Mrs. Ranganayaki called out, “Vanitha, come here. I must ask about this saree. What is the border work? So lovely.”
Vanitha flashed a quick, grateful look at Selvam, then hurried over. “It’s from a small boutique in T Nagar, Aunty. I’ll send you the details.” She launched into a technical explanation, drawing all the women into a knot near the door.
Ashok was left with the men. He clapped Selvam on the shoulder. “See? We survived a house full of women. We deserve a treat. Shall we finish the Mysore Pak before they get back?”
Selvam managed a laugh, but it sounded strained.
As the family left, Yazhini turned for one last look. Her eyes found Selvam’s, and she winked, a tiny flicker of the eyelid that only he could see.
He looked down at the floor, his heart thudding.
Ashok closed the door, then turned to Selvam. “She’s going to break hearts, that one. I don’t know how Krishnamoorthy Uncle will handle it when she gets married off.”
Selvam said nothing. He walked straight to the kitchen, hands shaking. He didn’t look back at Vanitha, who was still standing in the living room, watching him.
He couldn’t meet her eyes, not yet.
Scene 2
Ashok set up the laptop in the center of the living room, dragging the coffee table into the best patch of afternoon light. He placed three glasses of water at even intervals, then called out, “Vanitha! Mama! Come on, it’s almost time.”
Vanitha came down first, adjusting the end of her maroon silk saree. She had picked the most conservative blouse, high-necked and long-sleeved, her hair in a neat bun. She looked perfect and a little severe, which was exactly the effect she wanted.
Selvam appeared a moment later, wiping his hands on a towel and glancing at the laptop as if it might bite him. He sat in the armchair by the window, not too close but not out of sight either.
Ashok tested the video, then plopped down on the sofa, bouncing his knees. “It’s the middle of the night for her, but she always says she sleeps better if she sees us first.”
Vanitha smoothed the pleats of her saree and sat next to him. She kept her hands folded in her lap, her back perfectly straight. Selvam poured himself a glass of water and sipped it in slow, measured gulps.
The FaceTime tone chirped. Ashok’s face lit up. He accepted the call, and Latha’s face filled the screen. Her hair was loose and frizzy, her t-shirt rumpled. The walls behind her were bare except for a lone calendar and a single Ganesh photo taped above the light switch. Her eyes looked tired and she blinked at the brightness of the screen.
“Hello, Anna!” she called, her voice small but eager.
Ashok grinned wide, his teeth flashing. “Hey, Latha! Sorry for the odd hour. Did we wake you?”
Latha shook her head, then caught sight of Vanitha. “Akka! That saree looks so nice on you. Like you’re going for a wedding.”
Vanitha smiled, polite and reserved. “Thank you, ma. It’s nothing special, just an old one.” She nodded to the camera, “You’re looking well.”
Latha laughed softly. “Don’t lie, Akka. I look like I just woke up from a coma.” She leaned closer, squinting. “Mama, you’re hiding in the back! Show your face!”
Selvam sat up a bit, lifting his glass in salute. “Good morning, Latha,” he said, voice gentle.
The conversation drifted to safe topics, the weather in California, the new neighbors, a stray cat that kept yowling outside her window. Latha spoke with animation, but every few minutes her voice dipped, her eyes flicking away from the camera.
Finally, Ashok leaned forward, all business. “How are you feeling? Any symptoms, or…?”
Latha looked down at her hands, picking at a cuticle. “The doctor said I should rest more. I’m following everything, Anna. But it’s just so… big, this house. I feel like I’m the only person on earth.”
Vanitha said, “Did you talk to your Amma? She worries if you don’t call daily.”
Latha’s lips twisted in a small smile. “Amma asks too many questions, Akka. It’s easier with you all. You just listen.” She laughed, but her voice shook a little.
Ashok’s face turned serious. “The next IVF appointment is this week, right?”
Latha nodded. “Friday. They’ll do all the tests. Doctor thinks it will work, but… I’m scared. Last time… I thought I was ready, but after…” She swallowed, blinking hard. “I don’t want to get my hopes up. I’m just doing what I’m told.”
Vanitha’s hands clenched together on her lap. “You’re not alone, ma. We’re all here for you.”
Latha looked up at the camera. “I know, Akka. I just… I wish you were all here, in this house. Or that I could come back. Sometimes I don’t sleep at all, just walk from room to room.” She blinked again, and this time her eyes filled with tears. “The silence is the worst part. I keep waiting for Anna to yell at me to make coffee, or for uncle to call from the car for groceries. Or for you to ask me to help with a reel, Akka. It’s silly.”
Ashok touched the screen with his finger, like he could reach through and comfort her. “Hey. None of that. I’ll be back in a week. Once you get pregnant, appa and vaintha will also come to visit, right?”
Latha smiled, wiping her eyes with the edge of her t-shirt. “Right. I’ll make sure there’s fresh coffee. Even if it’s just hot water.”
They talked a little longer, but the call was winding down. Latha grew quieter, answering with single words, then signing off with a soft “Bye, Anna. Bye, Akka. Bye, Mama.”
Ashok waved. Vanitha lifted her hand in a tiny wave. Selvam just nodded, his mouth set in a thin line.
The call ended. The room felt much bigger than before.
Vanitha stood first. She smoothed her saree, then walked upstairs without a word.
Selvam stayed where he was, staring at the empty space where Latha’s face had been.
Ashok exhaled, rubbing his eyes. “She’s tougher than she looks, but I wish we could do more for her.”
Selvam didn’t answer.
They sat in silence for a while, the sound of nothing filling the room.
Scene 3
Ashok’s first words after the call ended were, “It’s time we went back.”
He didn’t raise his voice, but the sentence landed like a brick in the center of the room. Vanitha, still standing by the stairs, kept her face blank and her posture straight. Selvam turned in the armchair, jaw working, but said nothing.
Ashok gestured at the silent laptop. “You saw her, ma. She’s struggling. The doctors said this round of IVF is critical—if it fails, we don’t get another shot. Latha needs you, and she needs a family around her. We can’t just leave her alone in that big house.”
Vanitha lifted her chin. “I never said I wouldn’t go back, Ashok. But you told me yourself... the plan was that I’d work on the boutique and grow my followers here. It’s not just for fun, da. This is my dream career. I have real clients.”
Ashok moved around the room, running his hands through his hair. “Career come and go. Family doesn’t. I already booked a ticket for myself. But you....” He stopped, struggling to find the right words. “You belong with me in California. At least until Latha’s procedure is done. You said you’d support her. Now’s the time, ma.”
Vanitha pressed her hands together, the gold rings on her fingers clinking. “It’s a few week, Ashok. Once you go back, she will be fine. But I won’t be able to keep up with the content or the launches, everything stops if I leave and go to the US.”
Ashok let out a short, bitter laugh. “This is our family. You can’t put a filter on real life. And honestly...” he paused, glancing at Selvam, then back at her. “If you hadn’t been so set on keeping your figure for these videos, we could have had our own baby by now. You know that, right?”
The silence after that was thick. Selvam’s face tensed, but he still said nothing.
Vanitha’s tone stayed even. “You agreed. I never forced you into surrogacy. And it’s not about ‘keeping my figure.’ I just....” She cut herself off, breathed in, then spoke with a clear, slow voice. “I want both. I want to build my business. I want us to have a family. That’s why we chose this path, Ashok. Please don’t act like it’s just vanity. It’s my life, too.”
Ashok looked tired all of a sudden. He sank into the sofa, his head in his hands. “I know, I know. I just… I’m scared for her. She looks like a ghost, Vanitha. Last time, she called me in the middle of the night, said she was bleeding and didn’t know what to do. I don’t ever want to get a call like that again.”
Vanitha walked to the table and sat down, folding her arms. “I’ll go. But I’m coming back after the procedure. I have too much riding on this.”
Ashok looked up. “Fine. But Mama comes too.”
That surprised them both. Selvam sat up straight, his hands clutching the armrests. “Ashok, I don’t think....”
But Ashok cut him off. “No, Appa. She needs all of us. Latha loves you, and she’ll do better if you’re there.”
Vanitha nodded once, businesslike. “Okay. We’ll all go together. Two weeks, maybe three. Then I fly back alone if I have to.”
Ashok relaxed, just a bit. “Agreed. I’ll book the flights.”
He grabbed his laptop and started typing, jaw set. He muttered under his breath about loyalty programs and how Emirates always overcharged for business class.
Selvam stayed quiet, but his eyes flicked to Vanitha, then away, then back. The old, unfinished conversations between them hung in the air.
After a moment, Ashok announced, “Three seats on the same flight, next Sunday. I’ll book a car for the airport. Appa, you’re fine to travel?”
Selvam cleared his throat. “Of course.”
Ashok grinned, the tension dissolving. “That’s the spirit, Appa. One big happy family, yeah?”
Vanitha smiled back, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
Ashok headed to the kitchen, humming, his mind already on the next checklist.
Left alone, Vanitha turned to Selvam. They looked at each other a long time, neither one speaking.
She was the first to look away.
Upstairs, the guest room was empty, the bed made, nothing to show Yazhini had ever been there.
The world outside kept moving, but inside, the house felt suspended.... held together by what they were willing to risk, and what they weren’t ready to say out loud.
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